The Republican playbook for 2008 is so glaringly obvious

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

They will all announce a return to their "conservative roots" and try to pretend that the last eight years under Bush was just a bad dream. You will hear the phrase "true conservative" and "conservative values/tradition" pushed by every single Republican as well as Limbaugh, Hannity, Tweety, Russert, O'Donnell et al. Every Republican will mention Ronald Reagan at least nine times in every public uttterance. They will bring out a rehabilitated Newt Gingrich as their candidate who will try a new version of the Contract on America.

Of course, it will all be window dressing and just designed as a cover while they continue the smash and grab transfer of wealth. They will continue to push the sham of "privatization" as being a tenet of "small government" although in almost every case privatization leads to higher government costs, NOT lower. It's called profit for a few.

Our strategy should be simple - "Why in the world would anyone believe you this time?" as well as grooming a whole new generation of Democratic spokespeople who have a fantastic grasp of policy and history who will be able to discuss issues in ways that are not pompous,wonkish or condescending. We should tie almost every single issue to how it impacts the middle class or the working American.
I would actually use the slogan "What's In It For You?"

And start talking about the great missing issue so far - the environment and alternative energy. Bring back great programs like the Carter tax cuts for solar power, etc. Pick up Al Gore's message that government is not intrinsically a bad thing if it works in ways that are truly beneficial to the people.

[Ian David]

1. You left out the fact that they'll be scapegoating immigrants

Gays were just so 2004.

In 2008, it'll be immigrants.

[liberal N proud]

2. Between now and then they will be demonizing the Democrats at every turn

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. Of course, that goes without saying.

But I think this election proved that they have to go beyond that or they're just stuck with their cemented 30%.

[AlinPA]

4. I'm thinking they would have a heavy dose of fundamentalist Christian

goals: remove all gay people from the republican party and all government positions; promise mandatory prayer (written by Dobson and associates) and bible study in schools; pass laws to prohibit gay people from participating in society.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. If that were a winning strategy, Santorum would have won PA. nt

[luckyleftyme2]

6. HOPEFULLY

Hopefully they have ruined the republican party -much like Nixon did. And hopefully these veterans will remember and tell their kids.
PRehaps true republicans with foward thinking plans will boot the trash out that has corrupted this great party.BUT until then i'll vote anything but repuke party.!

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

8. yes, they really should all be turned out to roam the forests in

sackcloth and ashes for at least a generation.

[AlinPA]

7. I didn't say that it was a winning strategy, but it woud appeal to most of

their base.

[JNelson6563]

9. I agree

You make many good points and I have alredy seen evidence of the corporate media giving a lot of face-time to Gingrich.

If he's the best they can do for 08 they're worse off than I thought.

Julie

[AIJ Alom]

10. Haggard-Foley '08 ! Return to true Republican values ! n/t

[Joe Chi Minh]

11. Wow. That is a very timely warning. Forewarned is forearmed.

And such truths cannot be stated to often.

[oasis]

12. Exactly. That was the theme of Sean Hannity's radio show yesterday.

"We've gotten away from Reagan's conservatism, blah, blah blah".

I got news for Mr. Hannity, we're not going to return to anything that resembles those f'ed up, screw the little guy, policies of Raygun.:puke:

[HughBeaumont]

13. Let them mention Reagan.

Only the biggest dumbass wouldn't know that Ronnie was as much an Eisenhower conservative as Carter was a raging neo-Con.

[No Exit]

14. Great post! And we must let everyone know what a "FAMILY VALUES" guy Gingrich

really is! That is, our goal should be that everyone in America knows the story of how Newt told one wife he was leaving her as she lay in a hospital bed with cancer, and told another wife he was leaving by calling her on the phone, long-distance to her mother's house, while said wife was visiting that 80-something mother celebrating her (the mother's) birthday.

I know many will say this is petty or unimportant stuff, or that it is "beneath us", but I disagree BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT, THE AVERAGE AMERICAN PAYS MORE ATTENTION TO CRAP LIKE THE ABOVE, THAN TO PEOPLE DYING EVERY DAY IN IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN OR PALESTINE OR LEBANON OR WHEREVER.

In case there is anyone here who doesn't know, I have been listening to them touting Newt Gingrich lately and it has become absolutely crystal clear that he is, was, and will be a mega-NEOCON. It makes my blood run cold to think that in Newt's ascendancy, in the early 90's, I didn't even know what a "neocon" was. Junkie Limbaugh went through a period back then when Gingrich was mentioned constantly on his show, and would call in for so-called "interviews". Believe it or not, Junkie Limbaugh's handlers had, for some reason, decided that Junkie would refer to Gingrich as "Mr. Newt" on the air.

I had not yet seen the light and was still a supporter of republicans back then, but even *I* was nauseated when Junkie Rush would constantly refer to "Mr. Newt" on his show.

[zeemike]

15. I agree with most of that except who they will run in 08

My guess is that McCain has already been selected in return for his support of this administration.
He will be billed as the outsider reformer that wants to return to true conservatism.
If Newt is helpful he will be in for a cabinet position.

[4dsc]

16. Considering wedge issues are dead

I guess voters were not turned on by wedge issues this time to rightie will have to come up with something different..

[kentuck]

17. You are right on...

Save this post. I think your comments will be the Republican strategy exactly. Newt Gingrich will be rehabilitated and Ronald Reagan will be the "ideal" conservative that they will need to return to. However, they will not mention that Ronald Reagan spent more and increased the debt more than any President up to his time.

[auburngrad82]

18. What people forget is Gingrich is the architect of the failed neocon movement

He's the one who started all this shit. He's the one who created the k-street project. He's the one who started the shady ethics of the neocons. He's also extremely weak on family and moral values. DeLay was Gingrich's best student. Everything he learned he learned from Newt. We need to make sure that everyone knows that a return to "Gingrich republicans" is just more of the same corrupt shit we've had for the last 12 years.

BTW, I lived in Marietta, GA when Gingrich was speaker of the house and I remember well all of the ethical "lapses" Newt had. Remember, he had an affair with an intern at exactly the same time as Big Dog's affair that led to his impeachment. Why should Newt get a pass when they impeached Clinton for exactly the same thing?

A bit of trivia. Newt graduated from my high school in Columbus, GA. Another famous grad was Petra Kelly, founder of the German Green Party and one of the 1000 most influential people according to the Times of London.



Liberal bumper stickers

[yellowcanine]

19. They have a problem with that though - Their "base" is not "true conservatives"

It is the meddling Christian Right. John McCain is the big loser here, imo. He pandered to the Christian Right but the Christian right lost in this election. Now he has to reverse course and turn back to the "true conservative" wing of the party. How does he do that without pissing off the Christain Right?